Kurt Okraku says Ghana mistakes aided Côte d'Ivoire AFCON win

Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku has stated that Côte d'Ivoire’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title was aided by mistakes made by the Ghanaian national team.

Okraku noted that during the group stage, Ghana held a 2-0 lead against Mozambique in the 89th minute, which would have secured their advancement to the knockout stages. However, Ghana conceded two goals in the final minutes to draw 2-2, resulting in their elimination. This outcome provided a lifeline to the host nation, Côte d'Ivoire, who were facing elimination at the time. The Ivorian side subsequently progressed through the tournament to win the championship on home soil.

This admission comes ahead of Ghana’s 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, which begins with a Group C away fixture against Côte d'Ivoire on September 24 at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké.